Life As Is
by A.T. Fairfield
Summary: Slowly yet steadily, the students (and spirits of all sorts) of Hogwarts are dying or being serverly injured. What the hell is happening? Find out for yourself...
1. Repeation

"Who is Harry Potter?" boomed a voice somewhat loud and stark. A man stood pressing his hands on a desk before him, his peircing blue eyes observing the man whom people called brilliant.  
  
"I think we all know the answer to that, Rupert." Albus Dumbledore replied, with a look of no expression. To him, this was just the past repeating itself, over and over again. He was used to this by now, but Rupert Patrick refused to let go.  
  
"But don't you see? He is a mere child, yet you don't seem to think that!" he pounded his fist on the desk, slightly shaking the objects upon it.  
  
"Of course I understand that, Rupert," he said, holding his gaze, "I believe that we all do."  
  
"You don't see what I'm saying, Albus, he's a boy, a mere boy, a simple magic trick like love couldn't possibly stop the Dark Lord from killing him! There has to be a more reasonable explaination, there has to!" strands of his blond hair began to hang down on his forehead as he looked at Dumbledore desperately.  
  
"I'm afraid there isn't, Rupert, now may you please leave my office." he was still gazing at Rupert, having no real expression on his face.  
  
"Albus..." he trailed off, realizing from the tone in Dumbledore's voice that this conversation was over. "But listen to me, someday all hell is going to break loose. Life will colapse on us someday, and the only thing that can protect us is man's will, which isn't much when you think about it."  
  
Albus merely nodded, he had heard this statement enough times already, and he knew what it meant all too well.  
  
Rupert then left, briskly walking out of the office and bumping into a student on his way out.  
  
"Sorry there, kid," he mumbled, not taking notice to who it was.  
  
"S'my fault, I'm always walking everywhere with my nose in a book, I hardly take any notice to my surroundings." she smiled, hoping to be understood quickly and quietly without starting a big sorry-off. That was what she got, and was happy to get.  
  
The next day they found his body, dripping in blood... 


	2. Death of a Portrait

"Who could do such a thing?"  
  
A murmur filled the walls of Hogwarts right after they had been alerted the news. But alas, they knew that these kinds of things happened here, that was just the way it was at Hogwarts.  
  
"Well I personally think that he knew something he wasn't supposed to know, and therefore was punished. It's very cruel, yes, but stranger things have happened." Hermione commented, pretty sure that she had this one down like a book.  
  
"Oh really? Is that what you think? Great scott! It must be true then! Since you did say that was the way it was, and anything you say goes I'm pretty sure." Ron put his usual two cents in, creating his own little way of telling Hermione to lay of being a know-it-all, namely sarcasm. Harry attempted to get out of this situation by saying the one line that's perfect for getting out of any situation.  
  
"Well then, why don't we just look some things up in the Library?"  
  
The great words. Ron groaned and Hermione jumped up in delight, loving any excuse to go to the Library. Ron then gave Harry a cold look, one that said,  
  
"And why are you torturing us this way?" Of course Harry had no actual answer to that, all except for the fact there's always the chance that they'll be led off track. So they left and began to walk towards the Library, Hermione being the only gleeful one, until they heard something. They could just barely here it, but the sound was there...  
  
It was a high-pitched scream.  
  
They had no idea where it was coming from, none at all, to the point where you could've just assumed that Peeves or something else was just playing some sort of prank to get everyone worried.  
  
They heard it again.  
  
So their curiosity was at large, they kept walking and walking until without their knowledge collided with a First Year.  
  
"Sorry about that," Hermione began, but was caught by the other girl before she could continue.  
  
"No, it's my fault, I'm always keeping my nose in a book or I look down and am absorbed in my thoughts and I never really notice my surrondings, I'm really sorry..." They observed this 1st year, noting her long brown hair that was wavy in some parts, her brown eyes, some of the books that she had been carrying around which were obviously muggle-made, and her badge on her robes that indicated she was a Ravenclaw.  
  
"Ok then, what's your name? I thnk I remember you being sorted, but I just can't remember..." Hermione asked, thinking about how this girl vaguely reminded her of her.  
  
"Summer Greene, but do names really matter at all? They're just what you call upon a person by, so what difference does it make when oh so many people have the same first name? I really don't see one, but oh well. You don't really have to tell me your names, I can live without knowing names..." This girl was kind of strange, here she was analyzing names with as much care as they had when looking up books about the Chamber of Secrets...But then they heard something...  
  
The scream was getting louder.  
  
"Ok then, this is weird..." The girl's eyes were shifting slightly.  
  
"We heard it earlier on too, that was the reason we collided, that sound was so intriguing we had to find out what was with it." Ron explained, sounding strangely enough somewhat like Hermione.  
  
"Oh really?" She asked, then smacked her forehead, "Of course! That must've been coming from that thing I saw around the bend earlier, it looked mighty dreadful, very pitiful yet in a way it seemed like it deseved it..." She said, the others pressing in around her.  
  
"What was it? How was it pitiful? Why was it like that?" They were filled with questions, very eager to find the source of this wailing.  
  
"Come follow me, I'll show you..." Summer then lead the pack, twisting and turning until they finally saw it, but they couldn't believe it.  
  
"God no, God no, GOD NOHOHOHO!!!!!!" It was Sir Cadogan, the portrait, he was covered in blood and his pony was lying dead on the ground.  
  
"How did this happen? I didn't think that portraits could actually die..." Ron was baffled, but Hermione was quick to respond.  
  
"Well, technically they can't, but another portrait can come and kill they inhabitants...But the question is why, why would someone do such a thing...And a portrait! Dear God, the world will end soon, I know it..."  
  
"Wait, Hermione, you never say 'the world will end soon, I know it', is this a sudden change into a pessimist?" Harry was confused, but in response to that all he got was Hermione saying shakily, "I'm going back to my dorm now, mind..." And she hurried off, like that.  
  
"Gee, what's eating her?" Ron was on her case a little once more.  
  
"Isn't it obvious? She, well, she, oh God, you'll never understand it, oh well..." Summer looked a bit annoyed with them, although they didn't pay any attention.  
  
"Well then, I guess we ought to report this thing with Sir Cadogan to..." He couldn't finish his sentence, for he was intrrupted by a scream. They rushed toward the scream, through bends and twists, until they found where it was coming from.  
  
It was Hermione. 


	3. Untitled

"Is she alright?"  
  
Ron and Harry were at the hospital wing, they had brought Hermione there a little while ago once they saw her covered in blood. They almost thought that she wouldn't make it.  
  
"We'll just have to wait and see, she's in a rather bad condition, now shoo!" Madam Pince was being her usual self, always hurrying people away from the place. Ron's fists begun to shake a little as his head was bowed.  
  
"That's it. Now I know for sure. I have to tell her, I just have to. She just can't die without knowing, just can't..." Ron was clenching his teeth slightly, seeming so serious.  
  
"Tell her what? What do you want to tell her Ron?" Harry was confused, the obvious seemed to never penetrate his skull. But Ron shook his head, and just stoof there clenching his teeth, fearing the truth yet knowing it was right. Just then Summer came in, looking a tad bit glum.  
  
"Just now finished telling Dumbledore about Sir Cadogan and Hermione, sorry I couldn't join you." Now she was wearing a black beret interestingly enough, yet noticed it was there and took it off. "Sorry, I guess this is a time for hats off, huh? But anyways, have you heard anything yet?"  
  
"No, Madam Pince said that it's not quite clear if she'll make it or not, we'll just have to hope for the best I guess." Harry informed her.  
  
"Or be haunted by the worst..." Summer mumbled, "But I just came here to check in, I need to be up to my common room now, hope you don't mind." Without waiting for a reply she left, walking briskly out the door.  
  
"She's rather strange, is she not?" Ron whispered to Harry, but before Harry could reply Madam Pince was back.  
  
"Didn't I tell you? OUT! Your friend is doing fine, but she needs rest!" Madam Pince shoved them out and slamed the door.  
  
"And here she is telling us Hermione needs rest..." Ron mumbled, and Harry nodded in agreement. As they turned around though they heard music, it was in some kind of Rock 'n Roll beat.  
  
Then again I'm dead  
  
Then again I live  
  
Then again I'm gone  
  
So long.  
  
A guitar was being played along with the beat, and due to their curiosity they ran towards the music... 


	4. The Meeting

Harry and Ron kept on heading towards the music. After a while their jog slowed to a walk, and they kept on. Finally, after a while they saw a 5th year Slytherin girl coming their way and stopped.  
  
"Um, do you happen to know where that music is coming from?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah, I do. In fact, I was just now getting away from it. Ugh, muggle music..." She was a rather strange sight, with her waist length electric blue hair, her blue-grey eyes and nose ring, you could've mistaken her for any punk on the street.  
  
"Er, out of curiosity, what's your name?" Harry pondered what someone of her appearance could possibly be named.  
  
"Well wouldn't you like to know? But people around here call me Blu, and no mistaking who you are, Harry Potter right?" What irony.  
  
"Er..."  
  
"Thought so, your scar's in plain sight," She then turned to Ron, "And who are you?"  
  
"Ron, Ron Weasley. And it's been a pleasure meeting you, but we have to go now, come on Harry..." He yanked Harry along behind him as he quickly walked away, but after a while Harry's arm was really starting to hurt.  
  
"Er, Ron, could you let go of my arm now? We've lost her I'm sure..."  
  
"Oh, sorry Harry, I guess I'm a little absent minded today." Ron let go and Harry started rubbing his arm. After what seemed like forever, they finally got there. They were in front of the Ravenclaw tower, and Summer was sitting there, playing the guitar and singing along. Gathered around her were 4 girls, one of which looked bored.  
  
"Ugh, I hate muggle music! Just hate it! Yet I just can't help but listen to it!" She had blonde hair, silver blue eyes, creamy skin and a Slytherin badge pinned to her robes. At the moment she was attempting to cover her ears, but was failing miserably as her head began to sway. As she was doing this another girl began to speak.  
  
"Relax, Vie. You're using the wrong words. You can't help but listen to it because you actually like it, you're just set on hating everything that's muggle made. You really need to get in touch with your senses..." This girl was a lot younger, most likely a 1st year. She was somewhat tall for her age with long brown hair and brown eyes. She too had a Slytherin badge upon her chest.  
  
"Oh God, Chelsea, that's what you always say, and I know it's not true. I am in perfect touch with my senses and I don't like that music! Got it?" The girl so-called Vie seemed to be steaming. Just then yet another girl began to speak.  
  
"Why? WHY?? Every time I attempt to play music everyone laughs and makes fun of me! No one has ever appreciated me! Music is my only joy, yet everyone thinks I stink at it!" It was another 1st year. This one had shoulder length brown hair and green eyes with a Gryffindor badge.  
  
"Girl, you're good." Chelsea said, then she began to laugh and pat the girl on the back.  
  
"Thank you, I've been practicing..." The girl grinned, then started to laugh along with Chelsea. After a bit everyone was laughing except for Vie, who was merely sulking, but her eyes began to shift a little and fell on Harry and Ron.  
  
"And who are you looking at may I ask?" Vie asked in a snide manner.  
  
"Oh, er, nothing, we were just waiting for Summer to get finished with what she was doing..." At that moment Summer looked up at them along with everyone else.  
  
"Hey guys, I just forgot the password so I've been sitting out here playing some music. Here's my crowd, well, they're a group of people that were drawn to the music but my crowd nevertheless! Ok then, these two Slytherins here are Violet, Vie for short, and Chelsea, then the Gryffindors are Kaila and..." Her eyes shifted to a girl they hadn't taken notice to before, "Harriet? Harriet...Hello...Earth to Harriet...Are you dead? Hello..." The girl turned her head and smiled.  
  
"Yes, I'm dead, I'm not Harriet, I'm her ghost and I've come to haunt you...Ooh..." She put her hands up and began to wiggle her fingers, then laughed. She had brown, crimpy shoulder length hair, green eyes and a Gryffindor badge. She reminded Harry somewhat of his mother. Her eyes then turned to Harry as she smiled. "Ah, Harry Potter I'm guessing? Well, I have a little thing you might want to know, I just want you to be prepared to be shocked and that it may be too much for you to take in at once, but do you think you can deal?" She looked at Harry sincerely.  
  
"Er, I guess, it was a lot to take in once I found out I was a wizard, but look at me now. I took it in somewhat at ease. But what is it you want to tell me?" Harry had no idea what was going on.  
  
"Well, I'm your twin sister." She said, perfectly at ease.  
  
"What? Repeat that would you?"  
  
"Ah, I knew that you'd have questions. You know how they call you the boy who lived, right?" She asked.  
  
"Well, yeah..." Harry trailed off, not quite sure what to expect.  
  
"You see, it was really the twins who lived, although everyone thought I had died. I was then put up for adoption later after some muggles found me, and have been going to Drumstrang for the last oh so many years. Just recently it was discovered that I was alive and well and am just now going to Hogwarts." She said this really calmly too.  
  
"Er, I think I'm accepting it all, but do you have proof?" Harry didn't want to be the object of a joke.  
  
"Look at my forehead..." She said. Harry glanced at it. There, he could see a slight trace of a lightining bolt scar.  
  
"Huh, so you're right I'm guessing..." Harry was taking this in easily, he had experience at these kind of things..  
  
"Yeah, I am, so now that we've cleared that up let's just talk like we've known each other forever, m'kay?" She laughed again. Then looked around a little, "Deary me, snobbish Slytherin at 3:00, approaching now..." She guestured behind Harry, and he noticed that Draco Malfoy was heading his way.  
  
"Ah, 'tis Potty and the Weasel right here and now, what do you know..." He trailed off, smirking.  
  
"Hey Drace..." said a voice behind him, causing him to stumble forward.  
  
"NYAH!" He then straightened himself up and looked behind him. Blu was standing there, gazing at him. "Did you just call me Drace?" He asked her, obviously annoyed.  
  
"Well, yeah..." She trailed off.  
  
"Don't call me that, and how many times do I have to tell you don't sneek up on me that way!" He was waving his arms at her, then stopped, turned around, and sighed, "When will she ever learn..." He then saw Vie, "Violet! What are you doing here with all this scum anyways? I thought you had better taste..." He sneered.  
  
"Oh, I do Draco, it's just that there was something about that infernal racket she was playing that bewitched my ears to have to hear it somehow...But I'm alright now, shall we be off?" She arose from her kneeling postion and took his hand.  
  
"Yes, I do believe that hanging out with this kind of vermon really damages your health, come now..." They then strode off, Blu eyeing Draco in a strange way. As they left, Chelsea turned towards Kaila.  
  
"So how did you get to be such a good and entertaining drama queen?"  
  
"Oh, practice..." Kaila replied, laughing as. Ron looked at Harry.  
  
"Harry, we really ought to get going, and maybe check on Hermione..."  
  
"Oh, alright, Summer? Harriet? Care to join?"  
  
"Sure," Summer replied, beginning to pack her things.  
  
"I'll go too, might as well, don't have anything else to do..." Harriet got up, Summer following, slinging a bag over her shoulder. They then set off towards the Hospital Wing, Summer humming to herself as she went. As they left, Blu looked around, then rushed off in the direction Draco and Vie had went. So now the only sound was of Summer's humming, which grew into singing.  
  
"Night after night, who treats you right?  
  
Baby it's the Guitar man..." And trailed off. 


	5. The New Found Couple

"You doing ok?"  
  
Harry, Ron, Summer, and Harriet were all in the hospital wing, surrounding Hermione. She actually looked a lot better than when they had seen her before and momentarily had her nose in a book that Hagrid's head could fit inside of.  
  
"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there. Yeah, I guess I'm doing alright now, can't really remember exactly what happened out there. It seemed as though one minute I was walking back to the dormitory and the next I was on the floor. Very strange, really." Hermione had put her book under her pillow as a head rest. She seemed somewhat dazed, but then got an alien expression on her face. "Um, if you don't mind, I need to talk with Ron about something for a bit, it won't be long..."  
  
"Oh sure, we'll go..." Harry pulled back the curtain as Harriet, Summer, and himself went under it. Ron then turned to look at Hermione.  
  
"Er, ironically, I have something to tell you tell you too..." He put his arm on the back of his neck and got a wandering expression on his face.  
  
"Do you think perhaps we have the same thing to tell each other?" Hermione smiled slightly.  
  
"Erm, well, maybe. It all depends..." Ron's eyes couldn't seem to be able to stay focused on one thing.  
  
"You go first then."  
  
"No you."  
  
"You."  
  
"At the same time."  
  
They then both took a deep breath and burted it out at the exact same second.  
  
"I'm crazy about you."  
  
They then looked at each other and laughed somewhat nervously.  
  
"I'm glad to get that off my chest..." Ron blushed slightly, his cheeks not quite matching the shade of his hair.  
  
"Soo...We're a couple I'm guessing?" Hermione was also blushing.  
  
"Yeah, pretty much." Ron sighed and then smiled.  
  
"That was fast."  
  
"Yeah." Ron then looked around a little. "Well, enough of these short sentences, let's get the others to come in..." He then opened the curtain, "Hey guys, you can come in now, Hermione and I have had our say..." He beckoned them in. As he entered, Harry turned towards Hermione.  
  
"So, has the nurse told you when you can get out of here yet?"  
  
"Yes, actually. Even though I feel as if I could run a mile right now, she told me that I ought to stay the night, get some rest..." She then began to grin, "And Ron has something to tell you guys. Ron?"  
  
Ron looked at her fiendishly then laughed.  
  
"Well, erm, Hermione and I, you see..." Ron was stumbling along for the right words.  
  
"What he means to say is...Ron and I are officially a couple, no more of any of that 'just friends stuff', we are now romantically inclined to each other..." She then laughed.  
  
"Wait, romantically? That wasn't in the contract..." Ron was laughing along with Hermione as he said this.  
  
"Hold on a second now, you're telling us that the 'feuding duo' has become the 'loving duo'? You've got to be kidding..." Harry said jokingly.  
  
"No kidding, we, the 'feuding duo' as you call us, have become the 'loving duo'." Ron was begining to enjoy this.  
  
"Ok then..." Harry trailed off, not quite sure what to say. Thankfully he didn't have to say anything though, for at that moment they heard noices outside.  
  
"What in the hell..." Summer looked around, shrugged then said, "Hope you don't mind my going, it's just that I might as well find out what it is..." She then went outside, only to find Chelsea going on about something to Blu.  
  
"...But really, the dark side isn't where you should be. You ought to know that it's light that triumphs over darkness, not the other way around." Chelsea seemed to be preaching Blu.  
  
"Would you just shut up? I am what I am, and you can't make me be something else just because it's the 'right' thing to do, now come on!" Blu was really steaming at this.  
  
"Yeah Chelsea, Blu's right. She is what she is, not what you want her to be!" Summer was also aggitated by what Chelsea was doing.  
  
"Hey, where'd you come from?" Blu's attention shot over to Summer, then she thought about it for a moment, "Oh yeah, you said you'd be gone over to the Hospital Wing for a bit, didn't you? Well, anyways, I'm glad to see that you agree with me on that matter..." She then shot a vicious look at Chelsea, "But what side are you on anyway? Light or dark?" She gazed at Summer.  
  
"Well, not either of them exactly, I know and love the Dark side, yet my heart is morely on the good side. In my personal opinion Lord Voldemort is a being of great power and mysteriousness, to the point where I just can't help but find him intriguing..." She sighed and looked at Blu, "You're pretty cool, you know that?"  
  
Blu then laughed and said, "Eh, most people around this school think that I'm a stuck up and a depressing,dark punk, except for the Slytherins of course, but I blend in with them so well it's kinda hard to be an induvidual, but I manage..." She had a content look on her face and then looked at Chelsea, "Look, Chel, can you just try and lay off my being dark? You're a great friend and all, but that side of you is a real put off. You ok with that?"  
  
"Erm, I guess, but I really do wish you would change..." Chelsea then sighed and looked at Summer, "Hey, perhaps Blu and I could come and see your friend, Hermione or whatever her name is..."  
  
Blu ears seemed to twitch right then.  
  
"What? Did you say Hermione? I know her..." She scowled, "Little bushy- haired mudblood right? Ugh, she disgusts me..."  
  
"Oh really? She seems alright to me, but to each his own..." Summer was somewhat curious about this hatred Blu showed for Hermione.  
  
"Eh, whatever, you and Chel can go on in but I'm stayin' out here..." Her eyes averted slighly and she saw Draco out of the corner of her eye walking alongside Vie, "As a matter of fact, I have some things I need to do, so y'all can just go on and do whatever..." She then walked off briskley in the direction Draco and Vie were headed. Summer turned to look at Chelsea.  
  
"Does she, like, have a thing for Draco or something?"  
  
"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up..." Chelsea looked a little bored, "Hey, you wanna go in now or what?"  
  
"Sure, just one thing though..." Summer took out a CD and her wand, "Mesica." The CD rose up over their heads and began playing. The music wasn't that loud, but it was loud enough for them to not hear what Blu was saying oh so much of a distance away.  
  
"Draco! Vie! What in the hell???" 


End file.
